How to organise my self-storage unit

Whether you’re moving house and need somewhere to store your belongings between houses, you’re struggling to find enough space in your office or commercial environment, or you’re a student going home for the summer, a self-storage unit can make your life a lot easier.

However, when putting your belongings into storage, it’s absolutely key to organise them well if you want to avoid unnecessary stress and hassle further down the line.

Here’s our guide to organising your self-storage unit:

Packing your items up

The first step to putting your items in storage is to pack them up. As tempting as it might be just to through them all into a box and forget about them until you need to retrieve them, this certainly isn’t advisable! To make the packing, storage, and retrieval process as easy as possible, make sure you consider the following:

Plan what goes in each box

Rather than putting your belongings randomly into boxes, try to carefully plan what will be packed in each box. Think logically – which items need to go together?

A key point here is to think about which items might you need to access while your belongings are in storage. After all, one of the key benefits of self-storage is that you can retrieve or add items as and when you need to.

So, for example, if you’re packing up any seasonal clothing or items, or there’s any documentation that you might need to retrieve before the end of the storage period, pack these things together.

Think about the sizing of your boxes

When it comes to planning and filling the space in your self-storage unit, using uniform sized boxes can be really beneficial, particularly when it comes to accessibility. Where possible, try to go for smaller or medium boxes as large boxes can become very heavy and will be more difficult to move.

Choose storage boxes that stack easily

Stackable storage boxes are great for self-storage units as they will help you to arrange everything in a neat, tidy, and safe manner. We would also recommend using plastic boxes so they not only hold their shape, but also make sure your items will be unaffected by any outside influences.

If you’re planning on keeping things in storage for a significant amount of time, you might even consider putting sturdy shelves along one of the unit’s walls for even easier stacking and access.

Create an inventory

As you pack each box, create a master list so you know exactly where everything is. Include a list of all of the contents in each and every box, before giving each one its own unique number.Although this might seem time consuming, you’ll be pleased you did it if you need to find something.

Label your boxes before you store them

Clearly label each box on the top as well as at least one of the sides with the unique number you allocated to it while creating the inventory (see how all these steps are coming together?).

You should also clearly mark any boxes that contain the belongings you might need to access later on.

Storing your items

Once your belongings are all packed up, the next thing to think about is how best to arrange them in your storage space. If you want to make the process as simple and straight forward as possible, we’d definitely advise giving this some careful thought and planning!

Map out your space

As you’re filling up your self-storage unit, it’s worth creating a rough map of where everything is. It doesn’t need to be too technical or artistic, it just needs to show which boxes are positioned where.

Leave items you’ll need closest to the front

Remember when you were packing your boxes up and you made a list of all the things you might need while they’re in storage? Make sure these items are positioned close to the front, in an easily accessible location.

Create a clear pathway for access

When organising your belongings within your self-storage unit, make sure there is a clear pathway for access.

Heavier boxes to the bottom

When it comes to stacking your boxes, ensure that heavier, larger boxes are put down first, with smaller, lighter ones stacked on top.

Don’t stack too high!

It’s also important to remember not to stack your boxes too high – if they’re stacked above head height, they are at risk of falling and causing damage, both to the objects inside them and anyone who is within the unit at the time.

Of course, the first step to organising your self-storage unit is to reserve your unit. Get in touch to choose your self-storage space today.